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THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY 



THE 

UNDERTAKER'S DAUGHTER 

ORIGINAL FARCE IN ONE ACT 



BY 

FRANK V DUMONT 

AUTHOR OF "OTHER PEOPLE'S TROUBLES," FALSE COLORS," "THE 
LADY BARBER," "THE CAKE WALK,' 




TWO COPIES REChiVEO 

5^ *n<t e* 



CHICAGO 
THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY 






ORIGINAL CAST OP CHARACTERS. 

Melinda— The Daughter F. Wilson. 

Horace — Policeman L. Delmore. 

Dr. Platt— A Student Alf. Gibson. 

Pete Hearse Larry Dooley. 

Plays twenty-five minutes. 



Copyright, 1897, by the Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago. 

Notice.— The professional acting rights of this play are reserved by 
the publishers, from whom written permission must be obtained before 
performance. All persons giving unauthorized productions will be 
prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This notice does not apply to 
amateurs, who may perform the play without permission. 



The Undertaker's Daughter. 



Scene. — Plain chamber. Door r. fiat. Windows. Table 
R. c. Two chairs. Trap down stage c. Two skids — one 
higher than the other ; up stage against R.fiat. Small pillow 
and sheet on the skids. Plates of cakes, bottle, knife, etc. 
" lunch "on table. The skids are, one foot high and one and 
a half foot high.] 

Melinda. [Discovered.] Some girls have lovers and some 
have none. Now I'm one of the lucky ones — I'm blessed with 
three ardent lovers and they seem deeply in love with me. 
However, because Pa is very wealthy, he wants me to marry 
one of the three. That, I shall never do — I have invited the 
three to spend the evening and take tea, and I shall put them 
all to a severe test and judge for myself who'll prove the best 
and bravest husband. [ Window opens and Pete Hearse comes 
through the window, stepping o?i small box placed there. 
He is singing " You do not love me, no — bid me good-bye and 
go " as he comes through window. Melinda down L. Pete 
turns and shuts the window getting his fingers caught in 
the side of it. Expression of pain, and he turns.'] 

Melinda. Why didn't you come through the door ? 

Pete. I left that to go out of, in case the old man comes in 
unexpected. 

Melinda. No clanger, Pa has gone out of town to order a 
new funeral casket. Come, sit down, I want to talk to you. 
[Pete sees the table, runs to it, and seeing the lunch, shouts 
joyfully:] 

Pete. You do the talking and I'll clear this table. [Eats 
cake voraciously — stuffing his mouth and trying to speak. 
Eats ad lib.] 

Melinda. You know I told you to call to-night as I wanted 
a test of your affections. 

5 



6 "THE UNDERTAKER'S 

Pete. Well, ain't I giving it to you ? Look at my appetite. 
[Bams more cake ifito his mouth.) 

Melinda. No. I mean I want some proof. [Emotional.] 
That — you — love — me. 

Pete. [Imitates.) What — is — it ? 

Melinda. I want you to go up in the attic and there you'll 
find a burial casket, I want you to bring it down here and sleep 
in it all night. 

Pete. Who ? me ? Oh, no ! 

Melinda. Oh, very well then, our engagement is at an end, 
and I don't believe you ever loved me. 

Pete. Oh, yes I do. I'd sell my coat for you — pawn my 
watch for you — but when it comes to sleeping in a coffin all 
night I don't see where it comes in. 

Melinda. Very well, I'm not over anxious to marry you any- 
way. Remember you have a few rivals, all fine-looking fel- 
lows — noble and brave, and they are just dying {or me. 

Pete. Well, let them all die. Then I'll be the only one left, 
and then you'll have to marry me. 

Melinda. Oh, no. I'll never marry a coward. Come, will 
you do it ? 

Pete. Well, where is this casket. 

Melinda. Up in the attic ; go and get it, bring it down here 
and place it over there, and remember you have to sleep in it all 
night. Show no signs of fear no matter who enters the room. 
You do not see or hear them— you must not even breathe, for 
you are dead — dead as a smoked mackerel. Remember I'll be 
listening at the door. If I hear one word or one movement I'll 
never become your wife. 

Pete. Ah, boys, this is what comes of courting an under- 
taker's daughter. 

Melinda. Here, young man, I want you to understand my 
pa is not an undertaker. He's a funeral director, 

Pete. Then I'm to be dead all night ? 

Melinda. Yes, and you don't come to life before to-morrow 
morning. 

Pete. Well, if I'm going to be a corpse, I won't die hungry. 
I'll take these cakes. [Takes cakes.] Where's the coffin ? 

Melinda. Right up those stairs. [Points R. u. E.] 

Pete. Well, if I'm going to die, I'll die eating cake, and I'll 
make a fat corpse. [Ex. R. u. E.J 

Melinda. Lover number one, got rid of very nicely, but there 
are still two more in the field. [Piatt appears trap c. look' 
ing up.) 



"THE UNDERTAKER'S DAUGHTER." J 

Piatt. Ah, there ! [Entirely up.] 

Melinda. How did you come in ? 

Piatt. 1 didn't come in, I came up. I slid down through 
the coal hole, up through the water pipes and here I am. I 
was bound to get here. 

Melinda. Did you just leave college ? 

Piatt. Yes, I just left college and came over here to see you. 
Oh, sweetest of larynx and vertebra membrane of my system, 
and articulated osfrontis of affection's organic dispensatory ! 

Melinda. Then you do love me ? But you'll have to prove 
your love. 

Piatt. Put me to the test. Place me in the crucible, I am 
ready to be analyzed. 

Melinda. There is a dead man in this house. 

P_att. That's nothing strange for an undertaker to have 
lying around the house. 

Melinda. But what I want you to do is to remain in this 
room and watch the dead man as he lies in his casket. This is 
the task I ask of you to prove your love for me. Do this, and 
my hand at day-break is yours. 

Piatt. I'll do it. Trot out the stiff. Where's the defunct ? 

Melinda. He will be here and laid out when you return. 

Piatt. If he isn't laid out when I return, I'll have him laid out 
before morning. [Melinda turns up stage and goes to table.] 
This is a capital idea. Now I can go and get my surgical 
instruments and as I'm sitting up with the dead man, I can 
practise on him. I'll have him dissected before morning. 
{Turns to Melinda.] I will be back inside often minutes. So 
farewell my sarsaparillian extract of materia medica. {Em- 
braces in a grotesque manner and starts down trap, talking 
" I'll be back soon as possible." A wood crash is heard L. 2 E. 
As Piatt's shoulders are even with stage, and his head disap- 
pears as if he had fallen to bottom of cellar. Melinda L. 
screams and runs to trap looking down.] 

Melinda. Oh! He's fell in" the coal cellar. [At trap.] 
Have you hurt you ? 

Piatt, [from under stage.] No, I've only broken two legs. 

Melinda. [Shutting trap.] Oh, I'm so glad there's nothing 
serious. \Laughs.] Lover number two got rid of very nicely. 
But there is still one more and he must be given something to 
to do. Now let me see. What will Horace do ? [ Wood crash. 
Horace, a policeman tumbles in door R. rolling down stage to 
C. exclaiming " Oh ! oh ! " and rises.] 

Melinda. Well, you came in in a hurry, didn't you ? 



8 " THE UNDERTAKER^ DAUGHTER.*' 

Horace. Yes. I stepped on a banana peel and slid in here 
before I knew where I was. Oh, my dearest Melinda, I would 
endure falls like that sixty times a minute just to see you and 
gain one kiss from those ruby lips. [Comes to embrace her.'] 

Melinda. [Checks him.] Stop a minute ! You remember 
I told you to call to-night for your final answer. I shall put you 
to a very severe test and if you prove to be a man of courage I 
will gladly become your wife. 

Horace. Well, what is it ? A policeman is the man to do 
anything for love. 

Melinda. One ofyour rivals is to remain in this room all 
night beside a casket containing the body of a dead man — now, 
what I want you to do, is to contrive some means to frighten 
him out of here and prove to me that he is, really a coward and 
my hand is yours. Remember, you'll have no trouble to 
frighten him for he is an awful coward, in fact, a much bigger 
coward than you are. 

Horace. If he's as big a coward as I am, I'll have no trouble 
frightening him. But how am I to do it ? 

Melinda. I will provide everything necessary and tell you 
what you are to do — but just step down into the kitchen. 

Horace. Ah ! the kitchen. Before I go I'll take some of 
the spirits. [Taking bottle from table.] Pour some of the 
spirits down to keep my spirits up. I'll do anything before I 
lose Melinda. .[Ex. L. i e.] 

Melinda. [Laughs.] Well, I'm rid of the three at least, 
and what cowards they are. Now let me understand it cor- 
rectly. Lover number one, is to represent a dead man lying in 
a casket ; number two, is to watch beside the casket all night 
and show no sign of fear, and number three, is to contrive some 
means to frighten them out and prove to me that they are cow- 
ards. [Laughs.] Well, what a lucky thing it is for me that 
Pa is a funeral director, so I can give them all a good scare. 
Now to pack my trunk, see Horace, and elope. [Laughs and 
runs off~L. i E. Pete enters R. u. E. with board three feet 
wide and six feel long sides all around it, about four or five 
inches in height. This looks like a big tray pauited black. 
He carries it in on one shoulder.] 

Pete. [R. C] I couldn't find a burial casket so I got the 
body of a wagon. Oh, boys, never court an undertaker's 
daughter. Look at me. I've got to lay myself out. [Goes up 
stage, puts down board C, places the skids in position, short 
one front, picks up pillow.] Here's my pillow. I'll have 
something soft to die on. [Fixes pillow.] Now, I'll get in. 



"THE UNDERTAKER'S DAUGHTER. 9 

[Lies on plank ; has bus. of covering himself with sheet pull- 
ing it off his feet. Looks at feet.] I wonder how they got in 
here? [Covers feet.] Now I'm supposed to be dead. [Pathe- 
tic] And 1 died for 1-o-v-e. [Lies down. Trap opens, Piatt 
puts up the tinker's furnace iti which is red hot soldering 
iron, places furnace on stage and reaches down for rest of his 
articles. Meanwhile Pete sits up and views the articles with 
mingled fear, astonishment, and doubt. Piatt next puts up a 
coat in which is a lot of tools, hammer, old saw, chisel, tongs 
and old augur ; next puts up a basket in which is a plate 
with slice of pie, a flask and tin ca7i of flour. Then he comes 
up fr 0771 trap and closes it. Piatt looks around j sees the 
body 07i pla7ik.~\ 

Piatt. Ah, there he is ! [Turns and picks up coat bundle 
and ope7is it, allowi7ig tools to rattle down to stage, then puts 
fur 7iace over to L. C. and basket on table, fi7is the furnace. 
During all this Pete has bus. of watching tools 071 floor, look- 
ing at tools and then at Piatt, tryi7ig i7i a fwiny way to 
fath.0771 Piatt's i7itentio7is, with fear and wonder. Piatt 
returns to tools. Pete lies down. 

Piatt. I've brought my instruments with me so I could prac- 
tice on the body. 

Pete. Not on this body. 

Piatt. [Picks up coat.] I've just returned from the bed- 
side of a small-pox patient and by accident I took his coat and 
wrapped it around these tools. It's very dangerous to handle 
it. I'll throw it over here. [Throws it over Pete's legs. 
Then goes over to the furnace, exa77ii7ies it. This gives 
Pete a cha7ice to sit up a7id with fear he throws the coat back 
again on floor c. and lies dow7i as Piatt returns. He sees 
coat on floor. Bus.] 

Piatt. Hello, how did that coat get on the floor ? [Picks it 
up.] I don't wan't it around me. I'll put it on the dead man. 
It won't hurt a dead man, but it's sure death to a live one. 
[Throws coat on Pete's chest and face. Piatt goes to basket, 
takes out can of flour, pie a7id flask, places the7/i. 071 table. 
Mea7iwhile Pete sits tip and in great fear throws the coat off 
i7ito R. 2 E. and lies down. Piatt 7iow goes behind table fac- 
ing audience. 

Piatt. I brought this liquor along with me, [Places flask to 
his R.] as a preventative of contagious diseases. [Pete tries to 
reach the flask, bufPl&tt picks it up just in ti77ie to preve7tt Pete 
gettingit. All this is done without Piatt seei7ig Pete's actio7is.\ 
After handling that coat or even having it around you, [Brinks.] 



10 "THE UNDERTAKERS 

this is the only thing that will save a man. [Places it R. Fete 
tries to get it, but Piatt removes it just in time to have Jete 
miss grasping the flask.] Yes, this will save a man. [Brinks 
and instead of placing flask R. he places it over to L. of table. 
Pete is just reaching and disgusted and crushed he lies down 
not having been able to get his fingers 071 the flask. Piatt 
goes down to furnace, takes the red hot soldering iron out of it. 
Tests it with finger L. C] 

Piatt. [L. C.] Now, what I propose to do is to burn the 
arteries after cutting off the dead man's head. [Crash L. 1 E. 
Bass drum, sheet iron thunder, racket etc., kept up until 
mark.* Soon as crash takes place, Horace in skeleton suit 
and mask enters L. 1 E. Piatt is just at side of " dead man " 
to his L. as Horace reaches C. Piatt turns and seeing the 
"skeleton" utters a yell of fear, rttns up and around head of 
man on board to his R. and crouches down. This is tc allow 
P3te to sit up quick a?id utter a yell that scares Horace who 
darts back in alarm. Piatt junips up, Pete quickly lies down 
soon as he scares Horace. Piatt rushes at Horace with red hot 
iron, saying " Trying to scare me, eh ? Get out of here — get 
out of here." Horace runs up stage and jumps oitt of window 
followed by Piatt who burns him with hot iron as he chases 
him out. Soon as both are out of window (* Stop racket.) 
Pete gets up, runs to table, takes the pie and the flask, runs 
back to board, lies down, covers himself and eats the pie and 
drinks fro7n the flask. Short pause andY\&\X enters door in 
flat R., comes down C. laughing. 

Piatt. The idea of that fellow trying to come in here to 
scare me. I bet he won't bother me any more. I burned him 
all over the arms and oh, oh ! [He burns himself and throws 
the red hot iron on Pete's bosom or stomach. Pete yells 
" Oh." Grabs iron by hot part, squirms and throws iron off 
L. 2 E, ; examines burned hand, eats pie and lies down again. 
Piatt goes up to table, begins a search for the pie, looking on 
and under the table.] 

Piatt. Strange, when I left this room I left a bottle on the 
table. Where is it ? 

Pee. [Aside.] Dead man's got it. 

Piatt. I also left a pie there. Now the pie is gone. That's 
strange. 

Pete. Yes, it's strange. 

Piatt. Very strange. 

Pete. Yes, very strange. 

Piatt. Passing strange. 



"THE UNDERTAKER'S DAUGHTER." It 

Pete. Yes, passing strange. [Eats voraciously.'] 

Piatt. [Down l. c] Well, I don't care. I didn't want the 
pie myself. I kept that pie to poison cats. [Pete looks up, stops 
eating and allows bits to drop from his mouth to floor ; still 
looking towards Piatt. J There is a deadly poison in it and 
over a quarter of a pound of arsenic in that pie. [Pete very 
sick etc., throws crust off r. 2 E. ; brushes his hands, spits 
oict crumbs and looks very sick.] 

Piatt. There's one peculiarity about that new poison. The 
minute a man takes a mouthful of it, decomposition sets in 
before the man dies. [Goes to furnace, ?noves it back.] 

Pete. Oh, nail up the box and bury me. [Lies down. 
Piatt then looks around after bus. with furnace.] 

Piatt. What a strange odor there is in this room ? [Looks 
toward Peta.] 1 wonder where it comes from ? Ah, the 
dead man. I brought along some quicklime. [Now at tabled] 
I'll put some of it on him. [Takes handful of flour from can 
and goes toward Pete.] This will eat him up before morning. 
[Throws flour on Pete's face, theti goes to table and gets 
knife.] Now then, I'll take off the dead man's head and then 
cut out his heart. [As he goes towards Pete, enter Melinda, 
hat, cloak and small trunk, also Horace in police uniform 

L. I E.J 

Melinda. [L. C] Come Horace, quick before Pa returns. 
Let us elope! [Melinda and Horace run to door L. in flat. 
Pla<;t turns.] 

Piatt. Hello ! Where are you going ? 

Melinda. [At door.] We are going to elope. 

PlaVt. But remember you belong to me ! 

Pete. [Rising up extending arms shouts.] No, she belongs 
to me. [Piatt tumbles backwards L. C. with fright. Horace 
and Me^nda at back, very frightened at apparition holding 
out sheet. 

CLOSE IN. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOGUE 

NEW PLAYS, 1897-98. 

The First Kiss. 

Comedy in One Act, 

BY 

MAURICE HAGEMAN, 

Author "By Telephone," "A Crazy Idea," Etc. 
One male, one female characters. Plays twenty minutes. 
Scene, a handsomely furnished room. Costumes, afternoon 
dress of to-day. This sketch presents an entirely new plot, 
with novel situations and business. The fun is continuous 
and the dialogue bright and refined. Price, 15 cents. 



Bird's Island. 



Drama in Four Acts, 

BY 

MRS. SALLIE F. TOLER. 

Author of " Handicapped," Etc. 
Five male (may be played with four), four female char- 
acters. One exterior, two interior scenes. Costumes, summer 
costumes of to-day. Plays two and one-half hours. This is 
one of the strongest dramas since "East Lynne." Thrilling 
situations abound and the comedy element is equally strong. 
The drama is strong in character parts, the plot including a 
blind man, an Englishman, who is not slow in every sense of 
the word, an Irishman, a Scotchwoman, a Creole maid and a 
charming soubrette, all of whom are star parts. The profes- 
sional stage will find this a drawing and paying play — but 
amateurs can easily produce it. Price, 25 cents. 



Hector. 



Farce in One Act, 

BY 

MAURICE HAGEMAN. 

Author of " First Kiss," "A Crazy Idea," Etc. 
Six male, two female characters. Plays forty-five minutes. 
Costumes, one messenger boy's, man and woman servants, a 
dudish young man, a flashy Hebrew, and lady and gentle- 
man's street dress. Scene, a well furnished reception room. 
This farce has been a great success among professionals. 
The situations are so funny they can not be spoiled by the 
most inexperienced actors. The dialogue keeps up a constant 
hurrah in the audience. Hector, the dog, forms the central 
idea of the plot of the play, but need not be seen at any 
time unless a suitable animal is at hand. Price, 15 cents. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOGUE 

NEW PLAYS, 1897-98. 

Diamonds and Hearts, 

Comedy Drama in Three Acts, 

BY 

EFFIE W. MERRIMAN. 

Author of M Socials," " Pair of Artists," M Maud Muller," Etc., Etc. 

Four male, five female characters. Plays two hours. Cos- 
tumes of to-day for house and street. Three interior scenes. 
Each character in this play is original and life-like. The 
three pretty young ladies have each a marked individuality, 
as have also the young doctor and young villain. The bach- 
elor farmer has no rival unless we except the leading roles in 
" Denman Thompson," and " Shore Acres." He is a homespun 
lovable man and the scene in his home with his equally at- 
tractive sister is one of the strongest in the play. The drama 
is full of comedy, pathos and country life of the most whole- 
some nature. The story possesses an intense dramatic inter- 
est. Price, 25 cents. 



An American Harem, 

Comedietta in One Act 

Two male, five female characters. Plays twenty minutes. 
Costumes are ordinary street dress, except travelling suit for 
one man and very elaborate house dress for the servant. 
Scene, a handsomely furnished parlor. Frank's young wife 
suddenly disappears from home in a fit of temper, at the same 
time that his old college chum as suddenly appears to pay him 
a visit. His Irish servant, his mother, his sister and his 
cousin, with the best intentions of helping him out of the 
scrape, present themselves as his wife and the fun that ensues 
is immense. The comic situations arising from these com- 
plications are unlimited and the way in which the bright and 
sparkling dialogue works them out, keeps the audience con- 
vulsed from first to last. It is a play which furnishes oppor- 
tunity for the highest class of acting, but at the same time if 
the players simply walk through it, it will make a hit every 
time. 

It is easily staged as no scenery is required and the cos- 
tuming- and properties are always at hand. Prio*^ L* cents. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOQUI 

NEW PLAYS, 1897-98. 

A Modern Proposal, 

Duologue in One Act, 

BY 

MARSDEN BROWN, 

Author of, "A Bold Stratagem," "A Passing Cloud," Etc. 

One male, one female characters. A drawing-room scene. 
Costumes should be ordinary evening- dress. Plays fifteen 
minutes. The best performers will welcome this two part 
comedy with the greatest cordiality. It is entirely new and 
very novel in situation and dialogue. All the changes seemed 
to have been rung- upon a " proposal " scene for a young man 
and woman but Mr. Brown surprises us with an entirely new 
one. The dialogue is the most refined comedy, under which is 
shown at times strong feeling, Price, 15 cents. 



A Crazy Idea, 

Comedy in Four Acts, 

BY 

MAURICE HAGEMAN, 

Ten male, eight female characters. Costumes of to-day. 
One interior scene. Plays two and one-half hours. A jealous 
husband suddenly decides to put his house in the care of his 
nephew and take his wife and daughter to travel because he is 
possessed of the idea that his wife has a lover. The 
nephew is impecunious and a young colored friend persuades 
him to rent the house to roomers and take him for a servant. 
The fun then begins. Each lodger is a strong character part 
and they get themselves and their landlord and his servant into 
most amusing scrapes. However all ends well. 

The one scene required makes it a play easily produced on 
any stage where there are sufficient exits. The dialogue is 
very strong and keeps every audience in roars of laughter 
from beginning to end. There is no better comedy written 
than " A Crazy Idea." Price, 25 cents. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOGUE 

NEW PLAYS, 1897-98. 

All Due to the Management. 

A Monologue for a Gentleman, 

BY 

HELEN M. LOCKE. 

Author of " A Victim of Woman's Rights," Etc. 
Plays fifteen minutes. Scene, a comfortable sittingf-room 
with a writing table. Costume, first overcoat and hat, which 
when removed discloses a plain sack suit. A gentleman is 
left at home by his wife to keep house while she is in the 
country resting-. He attempts to write a magazine article 
while attending to his household duties. The result is a 
wrecking of his self complacency, his work as an author and 
the tidiness of the house. He finally leaves to recuperate 
with his wife in the country. It is an A 1 monologue. Price, 
IS cents. 



A Pair of Lunatics, 

A Dramatic Sketch in One Act, 

BY 

W. R. WALKES. 

Author of " Villain and Victim," '• Rain Clouds," Etc., Etc. 
One male, one female characters. Plays fifteen minutes. 
Scene, a back parlor. Ordinary evening dress. This is among 
the most successful two-part sketches used at present. It is 
full of action and bright dialogue. The two characters mis- 
take one another for lunatics and the fun that ensues is im- 
mense. This edition is well printed. Price, IS cents. 



A Passing Cloud. 

A Monologue for a Lady, 

BY 

MARSDEN BROWN, 

Author "Bold Stratagem," "A Modern Proposal," Etc. 
Plays fifteen minutes. Handsome dinner costume and 
any pretty room. A handsome young woman is dressed for a 
dinner at her mother's house, and is waiting for her husband 
to return from business to accompany her. He is detained 
far beyond the time at which she expects him to arrive and 
she passes through a succession of emotions in consequence. 
This monologue can be presented^ before the most critical 
audiences with entire success. Price, 15 cents. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATMOflUE 

NEW PLAYS, 1897-98. 

Conrad, 

OR, 

The Hand of a Friend. 

Drama in Three Acts, 

BY 

FRANK DUMONT. 

Author of M Undertaker's Daughter," " Too Little Vagrants," Etc. 

Ten male, two female and one child characters. Plays 
two and one-half hours. Two exterior, one interior of hut 
scenes. Costumes modern and wild-western. This western 
drama is full of startling- situations and thrilling incidents. 
It has been a most successful professional drama and pleases 
everybody and can be produced on a large or small stage. 
The book of the play gives the most minute stage directions, 
which have all been tried for several seasons on the regular 
professional stage. Repertoire companies will find this play a 
" winner," while amateurs will find it entirely free from any- 
thing objectionable in dialogue and a play that is easily pro- 
duced. Conrad is a German character part which in the hands 
of a competent man may be made a star part, for he is given 
opportunity for much strong acting. However, there are six 
other strong characters. The Irish Servant and leading woman 
are good, and the Jew and the escaped convict, the half 
starved comedian are all excellent. Price, 25 cents. 



By Telephone. 



Sketch in One Act, 

BY 

MAURICE HAGEMAN. 

One male, one female characters. Plays twenty minutes. 
Scene, a handsome room. Costumes of to-day, the gentleman 
any suit except evening dress; the lady, any elegant costume. 
This strong little comedy sketch is full of action and new 
business, full directions for which are given in the book of 
the play. The dialogue is refined and brilliant and will please 
all audiences, A wealthy young society man is introduced to 
the notice of a young woman with an income also, as a poor 
photographer. A mutual interest is developed and the scene 
played is when the young woman comes to his improvised 
studio to sit for her picture for which arrangements have been 
"by telephone." The situation it will be seen is new and 
novel and the dialogue is the most refined comedy. There is 
no finer twenty minute sketch for two people. Price, 15 cents. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOOUE 
l897~l898. 

New Ethiopian Dramas. 

Price, 15 cents each. 

The following plays are all by the well known minstrel man Frank Dnmont. 
Each one has been successful on the professional stage but now for the first 
time is presented in printed form. Fall and minute stage directions accom- 
pany each book of the play, and Mr. Dnmont has made them very complete in 
every respect. Several of these plays may be played white face. 

Cake Walk. Farce in one scene by Frank Dumont. 
Fourteen characters, half of them in female dress. Plays 
fifteen minutes. The Cake "Walk is one of the most character- 
istic darkey entertainments and this farce presents all of its 
ludicrous situations. The plain interior scene can be easily 
arranged and the properties are as simple. The "cake," "the 
bad coon," and the fat wench's antics are all sidesplittingly 
funny. 

False Colors. A black sketch in two scenes by Frank 
Dumont. Three male characters. Plays twenty minutes. A 
street and an interior scenes. One character appears in mili- 
tary dress with pistols and sword in belt, the remaining- two 
characters are typical tramps at first and then disguise them- 
selves in outlandish military uniforms. The fun is slow and 
dry but bursts into uproarious burlesque at the end. 

How to Get a Divorce. Farce in one act by Frank 
Dumont. Eight male, three female characters, beside " a jury 
and other bits of judicial brie a brae." Plays fifteen minutes. 
This is a farce which is very funny played with white faces 
although originally written for minstrels. The scene is a 
court room and Judge Alimony separates three happy couples, 
before Mrs. Alimony breaks up the court proceedings. 

Jack Sheppard and Joe Blueskin, or Amateur 
Road Agents. Melodramatic burlesque in one act, by 
Frank Dumont. Six characters. Plays twenty minutes. 
Landscape scene. This is done for minstrels. The two des- 
peradoes, Jack and Joe are very funny and the piece acted 
with spirit is a sure hit. The dialogue gives opportunity for 
any amount of business and is full of genuine darkey humor. 



THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY'S CATALOQUE 
NEW ETHIOPIAN DRAMAS.— Continued. 



The Lady Barber. Sketch in one scene by Frank Du- 
mont. Four characters, two of them appear in female dress. 
Plays twenty minutes. Scene — a barber shop. This is one of 
Mr. Dumont's strongest plays. The fun begins immediately 
when the proprietor induces the white-wash man to assume 
the dress of a lady and take charge of the customers and in- 
creases until the shop is cleared out in a fast and furiously 
funny manner. 

Other People's Troubles. An eccentricity in one 
scene by Frank Dumont. Three male, two female characters. 
Interior scene. Plays fifteen minutes. This sketch may be 
played white or black face and has been successful on the pro- 
fessional stage, Lew Dockstader making a fine Zack. The 
play is a "screamer," full Of smart sayings and funny situa- 
tions. The end is a rattling climax of merriment. 

The Serenade Party; or, The Miser's Troubles. 

A black sketch in one act, by Frank Dumont. Four characters, 
one in female dress. Plays twenty minutes. Interior scene. 
A popular professional sketch. The miser and his servant's 
efforts to deceive one another and their guests are uproariously 
funny. Here is great opportunity for fine business and full 
directions are given by the author in every book of the play. 

Too Little Vagrants; or, Beware of Tramps. 

Farce in one act by Frank Dumont. Three male, one female 
characters. Plays twenty minutes. One exterior scene. May 
be produced white or black face. This play introduces two 
of the most comical of tramp characters. The position of one 
of them forced to stand as a scare crow is very funny. There 
is nothing offensive in the bright and rapid dialogue. 

The Undertaker's Daughter. Farce in one act, by 
Frank Dumont. Three male, one female characters. Plays 
twenty-five minutes. Plain chamber scene. This play may 
be given white or black face, and has been successful each 
way on the professional stage. The motive, dialogue and 
action all very original, bring screams of laughter from all 
audiences. Full stage directions accompany the book of the 
play. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




017 401 311 1 



PLAYS. 



BEING the largest theatrical booksellers in 
the United States, we keep in stock the most 
complete and best assorted lines of plays and 
entertainment books to be fonnd in this country. 

We can supply any play or book pub- 
lished. We have issued a 120-page catalogue 
of the best 1500 plays and entertainment books 
published in the U. S. and England. It con- 
tains a full description of each play, giving 
number of characters, time of playing, scenery, 
costumes, etc. This catalogue will be sent free 
on application. 

The plays described are suitable for am- 
ateurs and professionals, and nearly all of them 
may be performed free of royalty. Persons in- 
terested in dramatic books should examine our 
catalogue before ordering elsewhere. 

The Dramatic Publishing Company, 

CHICAGO. 



